Rwanda’s Nyungwe Forest National Park, is a top birding hotspot in the region owing to the 29 Albertine Rift Endemics and several Afro-montane highland bird specials found across this montane forest. Towering high across 1600-2950m of altitude, the 1019 sq.km montane rainforest of Nyungwe is one of the ancient and the largest afro-montane forest in the Albertine rift offering the best montane birding anywhere in the region.
Set on the eastern wall of the Albertine Rift, Africa’s most biological diverse area, Nyungwe Forest National Park’s towering montane highlands lie at the watershed divide between Africa’s biggest river systems- the runoff on the eastern form heads out into the Nile while the west drain further into the mighty Congo. Away from this geographic aspect, the Nyungwe Forest NP is characterized by a wide range of habitats including excellent afro-montane primary and secondary cloud forests, high-altitude marshes, bamboo and grasslands.
A 5-6hr drive south-west of the Kigali along excellent and scenic two routes, Nyungwe Forest NP is the most accessible of the montane forests in the Albertine Rift Endemic Zone. The park is serviced with a wide range of excellent accommodation plans available in and around the forest and also along the shores of L. Kivu west of the park making birding here easy and fruitful.
Nyungwe Forest Bird Highlights
Albertine Endemics and Afro-montane Birding at Nyungwe Forest National Park.
Nyungwe forest bird-rich habitats host great selection of a typical afro-montane characters totaling up to 340 species-checklist of which the 29 are the Albertine Rift (ARE) restricted range specialists, the largest number of endemics outside the unstable Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The Albertine Endemics checklist at Nyungwe NP include, Kungwe Apalis, Albertine Owlet and Rockefeller Sunbird present here but requiring some luck while the rainforest is the only reliable place in the region to tick off the colorful Red-collared Babbler abundant along various trails in small family flocks. Regal Sunbird, Rwenzori Double-collared Sunbird (Stuhlmann’s), Strange Weaver, Black-faced and Rwenzori Apalis, Rwenzori Turaco, Stripe-breasted Tit are common with Blue-throated and Purple-breasted Sunbird, Yellow-eyed Black-flycatcher and the Dusky Twinspot. Dusky and Red-faced Crimson-wings are quite seen but Shelley’s Crimson-wing is toughest of them.
Birding along the excellent Kamiranzovu Marsh trail offer chances for the skulking and drab Grauer’s Warbler, Red-faced Woodland and the Nuemann’s Warblers. While further down at the marsh, White-winged Swamp, Grauer’s Rush and Highland Rush Warblers occur and occasionary Red-chested Flufftail. The extensive marsh is watched by Mountain Buzzard and African Marsh Harrier while in the luxuriant vegetation on marsh edges skulks the vocal Mountain Yellow Warbler, Banded Prinia, Black-faced Woodland Warbler and Kandt’s Waxbill.
Birding along the main road produces an incredible list including; Chubb’s Cisticola, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater and the usually shy Ludher’s and Lagden’s Bushshrikes, Dark-capped and Mountain Yellow-Warblers while White-eyed Slaty Flycatchers pairs hawk for insects. These road edges also are patrolled by pairs and small family flocks of Handsome Spurfowl.
Nyungwe Forest other forest undergrowth specialists include the vocal Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Abyssinian Thrush, Kakamega Greenbul (formerly Shelley’s Greenbul) with a typical woodpecker foraging behavior probing along mossy tree trunks, White-headed Wood-hoopoe, Olive and Elliot’s Woodpeckers, Red-throated Alethe and the usually confiding Kivu Ground Thrush occur. The oddly-named and a large thrush-looking Grey-chested Kakamega, White-starred Robin and White-tailed Ant-Thrush are encountered following ant-swarm legions as they patrol the forest floor attracting also the shy Akalat-like White-bellied Robin-Chat, Brown-chested Alethe, Grey-winged Robin-Chat on the feeding frenzy. Archer’s Robin-Chat and Mountain Illadopsis prefer more open high-altitude sections with the former restricted in the bamboo sections.
Other afro-montane bird highlights include Bar-tailed Trogon, Black-billed Turaco, Grey Apalis, White-browed Crombec, White-tailed and White-bellied Crested Flycatcher, Evergreen Forest Warbler, Yellow-bellied Wattle-eye, Black-tailed (Montane) Oriole, Doherty’s and Many-coloured Bush shrike, Albertine and Willard’s Sooty Boubou, Crowned Eagle, Black-billed Turaco, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Pink-footed and Grey-Cuckoo-shrike, Barred-long-tailed Cuckoo, Rwenzori Hill Babbler, White-starred Robin, Cassin’s Hawk and more.
Nyungwe Forest Birding Trails and Terrain
Birding at Nyungwe Forest NP follows an excellent network of trails to explore diverse habitats and forest section of this ancient montane forest. Like all other activities in Nyungwe forest NP, visiting birdwatchers are required to report at Uwinka or Gisakura Visitor’s reception center for payments, registration and guides assigned.
Of the park’s 15-trails these are the excellent birding trails: Kamiranzovu, Karamba, Rukuzi, Bigugu, Uwinka, Umuyove Trails while the main Huye-Rusizi road running east-west through the park is also excellent.
It’s important to note, Nyungwe Forest NP stretches over high-altitude montane ranges with the highest point being 2950m at Mt. Bigugu and most trails are physical demanding and require average fitness levels.
Best time to bird at Nyungwe Forest NP
Nyungwe’s NP’s proximity near the equator ensures all year-round moderate equatorial climate with daily average of 20 degrees C / 65 degrees F cooling off to 11 degrees C at night but its high montane elevation means it receives much annual rainfall. Months from June to September are dry here while October to May its wet season peaking between late March and April. During the peak wet season, rains mostly fall in the afternoons with overcast mornings while during the day the sun might come through.
Getting to Nyungwe Forest
The park is accessed via two excellent and scenic routes each requiring up to 5-6hrs drive from Kigali. Coming in from Volcanoes NP and Gisenyi in the north, the route follows the scenic shore line of L. Kivu by-passing Karongi while the eastern route favorable to travelers from Kigali passes Muhanga and via Huye to the park. It’s possible also to fly in to Rusizi airport from Kigali and where its only an hour drive to the park.
Recommended Birding Duration: 4nites/5Days at Nyungwe NP
To somehow exhaust the bird-rich montane forests of Nyungwe NP one requires ample time. Relying on our experience and other birders’ experience, a well-spaced Albertine Rift Endemic specie-targeted itinerary usually give Nyungwe Forest 4nites/5days to work through various altitudes across forest structures to explore the forest edge and secondary forest sections. With enough time, one is able to enjoy other exciting adventure highlights like trekking along the Chimpanzee troops here and Canopy walk for an eagle’s eye view over Nyungwe Forest canopies.